Tag Archives: Vegetarian

During my last trip to India I literally lived off Moong Bean soup! It was the staple meal served during my pancha-karma (ayurveda cleanse of the entire body) and even though it is virtually all I ate for two weeks, I still loved it. Yep, every single mouthful, even after 2 weeks!

This recipe has vegetables in it however you can also make this soup with no veggies – as a super simple cleansing soup that is perfect for recovering from illness, resetting your digestive fire (agni) and getting your inner flame burning bright once again.

{Recipe from my recipe eBook coming soon!}

Ingredients:

*Soak moon beans over night then rinse before cooking.

2 cup whole moong beans

1 tbsp ghee or coconut oil

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

Pinch of fennel seeds

1 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 small red onion

1 clove fresh garlic

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 cup chopped green beans

1 cup chopped zucchini

1 tsp sea salt

A few cracks of black pepper

1 cup fresh coriander, finely chopped

2 litre’s of boiling water from the kettle

Creation process:

Warm ghee or coconut oil in your pot and add dry spices; cumin, coriander and fennel seeds. Stir to lightly to toast the spices for 2-3 minutes until they start to sizzle.

Add 2 litres of boiling water from the kettle, 1 tsp of sea salt, a few cracks of black pepper and a handful of fresh coriander. Place the lid on and boil for 10 minutes then turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes until moong beans and vegetables are soft. Serve with a garnish of fresh coriander and a few cracks of black pepper.

photography: Shantanu Starick

Yum, yum yum!

The possibilities of what you can make with Moon beans are endless…

May this soup recipe inspire you in the kitchen and nourish you from the inside out!

The best nutritional path to take in life is the one that suits you most!

We are all unique and this means that our bodies and digestive systems are unique as well! (Yay! how beautiful is that!)

Our bodies thrive when we can listen and be intuitiveabout our food & lifestyle choices.

Instead of following the latest food trend or getting overwhelmed by varying food philosophies – ask your body what it wants, what it needs and then listen. You are not like anyone else. Doing what everyone else does will never be truly nourishing.

In order to really nourish yourself – you must listen to the call of your tummy, your feelings, your passions and your inspirations.

Ask yourself these questions… Which foods feel amazing in your tummy? & Which foods make your heart and mind sing? and move towards those things… experiment, play and explore!

Often creating this inner connection with self is all that is needed to soothe, calm and rebalance the intelligence of our body, heart and mind.

It’s exciting, it’s fun and it’s delicious to open up, to explore your body and to listen to what foods your body wants, loves and needs.

Master your eating and you will master your mind… this is what the Ayurvedic sages of India share with us.

“Quality of mind depends on quality of food.” ~The Vedas

Ingredients:

2 cup whole moong beans (soaked overnight)

1 cup basmati or brown rice (washed 3 x and strained)

1/4 pumpkin chopped into cubes

1 cup green beans chopped into small pieces

8 cups of boiling water

1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee

1 tbsp freshly chopped ginger

1 clove of garlic finely chopped/pressed

1/2 a red onion finely chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds, 1tsp coriander seeds, 1/3 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp himalayan salt & a few cracks black pepper

1/2 ripe avocado & some fresh parsley or coriander

your love! :)

So easy to digest, nourishing & in Ayurvedic texts said to be a ‘complete protein’!

When Rice & Moong become creamy, turn off the heat and serve with an extra spoon of ghee or coconut oil on top, 1/2 an avocado sliced and salted and a fresh garnish of parsley or coriander!

Voila!

A super delicious nourishing vegetarian and vegan (minus the ghee!) complete protein dish! Yum! This is such an easy meal to make during the week when it’s hard to come up with creative ideas for the family and you want something fast, nourishing AND delicious! :)

Since the first of March, according to the western calendar year, Summer was ‘officially’ over and Autumn had begun.

What!? Autumn! …It still feels like Summer!

On the first day of Autumn however, I found myself at the beach, taking respite in the cool waters of the ocean and enjoying the warm air ~ delicious fresh Papaya by the spoonful and long summer-love-story short, …it certainly STILL felt like Summer!

That is because the seasons don’t stop and start like a machine. Just like we don’t stop and start (when living in balance) like a machine. We are alive, breathing beings, organic in our true nature. Mother nature and her seasons are the same, really we are mini living manifestations of her divine creation. That is a whole other exciting ‘macrocosm’, ‘microcosm’ conversation though… Back to the seasons. Mother nature and her seasons are gradual and as such we must allow ourselves to gradually adapt during a seasonal juncture in order to rebalance to our new and changing environment as well as allow for our bodies and minds to cleanse from the previous season to create a clear fresh space that is appropriate for the current season that is beginning.

Autumn brings an increase in the air + ether elements, (Vata).

As the cooler air and wind causes the leaves to dry and then fall to the ground. There is a ‘dryer’ and less humid quality to the air as we shift from the heat and moisture of summer to the slightly cooler movement, via wind of Autumn. The earth beginning to prepare for winter!

Seasons are so beautiful, they show us that everything grows, transforms, cycles and evolves… And for harmony to be maintained, this cycle and process must continue ~ year, after year, after year!

Change is what is always constant! It is a blessing and time of ritual and ceremony in many traditional cultures, where the people honour the sacred earth elements.

At all seasonal junctions through out the year, it is important to take extra care of yourself and to listen to your bodies needs as the environment around you shifts.

To balance your Vata, you must respond and adapt your lifestyle habits and routine to suit and harmonise with the changing environment around you.

You may find yourself eating less, eating lighter foods, warmer foods, more nourishing foods and even wearing different clothes as the climate changes, even just subtly.

The official Autumn Equinox

Yesterday, the 21st of march marked the autumn equinox in the Southern Hemisphere. Equinox meaning ‘equal’ light and dark. From yesterday onwards we will move from having more light and warmth in each day to slightly less as we glide into winter. The opposite is occurring in the northern hemisphere as they move towards the warmth and longer days.

Ayurvedic medicine places great significance on seasonal change as it is important that way have the tools and knowledge to align and re-balance during the various transitions and changes in life for the health of our body, mind and spirit, our optimum wellness.

3 Simple Lifestyle Tips for Seasonal Change you can do at home:

My top #3 Ayurvedic Lifestyle tips for you to smoothly navigate and re-balanced during this seasonal juncture that we are in right now are…

#1 Make sure you give your body adequate rest, I’m talking 7-8 hours sleep each night so your body can rejuvenate and balance out during the night. (I went to bed at 9pm last night and it felt amazing!!!)

#2 Eat warm, light meals to give your digestion a little rest, think soups, kitchari, stewed fruit, steamed vegies… Warm and simple. This is also a great time to do a mini cleanse or soup/kitchari fast for 2-5 days. The best time of year for it! (I made a pot of Kitchari yesterday and have fasted on Kitchari and fresh Papaya during the day today, feels amazing and so great to have a little digestion re-set!)

#3 Drink warm water and warm herbal teas in place of cold drinks during the day, night and first thing in the morning to gently cleanse your digestive system, support your agni, (digestive fire) and ground your mind and body due to the relaxing and healing qualities of warm h20! (I carry a 1 litre thermal drink bottle with me everywhere, filled with warm water so it is easy for me to stay hydrated and drink warm water wherever I am. The best invention ever. Warm water really makes a difference!)

That’s it. Simple awareness of your body, mind, spirit and breath at all times in life ensures balance and harmony to reside within you and allows your bodies natural innate intelligence to shine, re-balance, heal and guide you on your journey inside and out.